Explore 31 historical events from 870–879.
Æthelred I was King of Wessex from 865 until his death in 871. He was the fourth of five sons of King Æthelwulf of Wessex, four of whom in turn became king. Æthelred succeeded his …
Æthelred of Wessex (born 837)
Gunther or Gunthar was Archbishop of Cologne in Germany from 850 until he was excommunicated and deposed in 863.
Gunther, archbishop of Cologne
Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad ibn Hārūn ibn Muḥammad ibn Hārūn al-Muhtadī bi-ʾLlāh, better known by his regnal name al-Muhtadī bi-ʾLlāh, was the Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate from July 869 …
Al-Muhtadi, Muslim caliph
The Arab–Byzantine wars or Muslim–Byzantine wars were a series of wars from the 7th to 11th centuries between the successive Islamic caliphates and the Byzantine Empire. Following …
Arab–Byzantine wars: The city of Syracuse was captured by the Aghlabids (pictured) as part of the Muslim conquest of Sic
Syracuse is a city and municipality, capital of the free municipal consortium of the same name, located in the autonomous region of Sicily in Southern Italy. As of 2025, with a pop…
Syracuse, Sicily, is captured by the Muslim Aghlabids after a nine-month siege
Meng Zhixiang, courtesy name Baoyin (保胤), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Gaozu of Later Shu (後蜀高祖), was the founding emperor of the Chinese Later Shu dynasty during t…
Meng Zhixiang, Chinese general and emperor (died 934)
Louis II, sometimes called the Younger, was the king of Italy and emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled al…
Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 47
Pope John VIII was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the most able popes of the 9th century.
Pope John VIII gives blessings to Branimir of Croatia and to the Croatian people, considered to be international recogni
Odo I was the Count of Troyes from 852 to 859 and Count of Châteaudun through 871.
Odo I, Frankish nobleman
Ya'qub ibn al-Layth Saffar was a coppersmith and the founder of the Saffarid dynasty of Sistan, with its capital at Zarang. Under his military leadership, he conquered much of the …
Ya'qub ibn al-Layth, Persian emir (born 840)
Pope John VIII was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the most able popes of the 9th century.
Pope John VIII gives blessings to Branimir of Croatia and to the Croatian people, considered to be international recogni
Pope John VIII was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the most able popes of the 9th century.
Pope John VIII recognises the Duchy of Croatia under Duke Branimir as an independent state
Charles III, called the Simple or the Straightforward, was the king of West Francia from 898 until 922 and the king of Lotharingia from 911 until 919–923. He was a member of the Ca…
Charles the Simple, Frankish king (died 929)
Shulü Ping, nickname Yueliduo (月里朵), formally Empress Yingtian also known as Empress Di (地皇后) during the reign of her husband Emperor Taizu of Liao, posthumous name initially Empre…
Yingtian, empress of the Khitan Liao Dynasty (died 953)
Ya'qub ibn al-Layth Saffar was a coppersmith and the founder of the Saffarid dynasty of Sistan, with its capital at Zarang. Under his military leadership, he conquered much of the …
Ya'qub ibn al-Layth, Persian emir (born 840)
Pope John VIII was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the most able popes of the 9th century.
Pope John VIII officially recognised Croatia as an independent state, and Branimir (monument pictured) as its duke
Syracuse is a city and municipality, capital of the free municipal consortium of the same name, located in the autonomous region of Sicily in Southern Italy. As of 2025, with a pop…
Syracuse, Sicily, is captured by the Muslim Aghlabids after a nine-month siege
Louis the Stammerer was the king of Aquitaine and later the king of West Francia. He was the eldest son of Emperor Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans. Louis the Stammerer w…
Louis the Stammerer is crowned as king of West Francia by Pope John VIII.
The Arab–Byzantine wars or Muslim–Byzantine wars were a series of wars from the 7th to 11th centuries between the successive Islamic caliphates and the Byzantine Empire. Following …
Arab–Byzantine wars: The city of Syracuse was captured by the Aghlabids (pictured) as part of the Muslim conquest of Sic
Eutychius of Alexandria was the Melkite Patriarch of Alexandria. He is known for being one of the first Christian Egyptian writers to use the Arabic language. His writings include …
Eutychius, patriarch of Alexandria (died 940)
Abū al-Ḥasan ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān was an Abbasid official who served twice as vizier, under caliphs al-Mutawakkil and al-Mu'tamid.
Ubayd Allah ibn Yahya ibn Khaqan, Abbasid vizier
Charles the Bald was king of West Francia (843–77), king of Italy (875–77) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–77). After a series of civil wars during the reign of his fath…
Charles the Bald, Holy Roman Emperor (born 823)
Ignatius of Constantinople was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 847 to 858 and from 867 to 877. Ignatius lived during a complex time for the Byzantine Empire. The Ic…
Ignatios of Constantinople, Byzantine patriarch (born 797)
The First Battle of Andernach between the West Frankish king Charles the Bald and the East Frankish king Louis the Younger took place on 8 October 876 near Kettig southeast of Ande…
Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger prevent a West Frankish invasion and defeat emperor Charles II ("the Bald").
Louis the German, also known as Louis II of Germany, was the first king of East Francia, and ruled from 843 to 876 AD. Grandson of emperor Charlemagne and the third son of Louis th…
Louis the German, Frankish king (born 804)
Louis II, sometimes called the Younger, was the king of Italy and emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled al…
Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor (born 825)
Remigius was archbishop of Lyon.
Remigius of Lyon, Frankish archbishop
Meng Zhixiang, courtesy name Baoyin (保胤), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Gaozu of Later Shu (後蜀高祖), was the founding emperor of the Chinese Later Shu dynasty during t…
Meng Zhixiang, Chinese general and emperor (died 934)
Saint Altfrid was a leading figure in Germany in the ninth century. A Benedictine monk, he became Bishop of Hildesheim, and founded Essen Abbey. He was also a close adviser to the …
Altfrid, bishop of Hildesheim
Gunther or Gunthar was Archbishop of Cologne in Germany from 850 until he was excommunicated and deposed in 863.
Gunther, archbishop of Cologne
Thacholf, Thachulf, Thaculf, or Thakulf was the Duke of Thuringia from 849 until his death. He held the titles of comes (count) and dux (duke) and he ruled over a marca (march). H…
Thachulf, duke of Thuringia
Emperor Yizong of Tang, né Li Wen, later changed to Li Cui, was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Emperor Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xu…
Yi Zong, Chinese emperor (born 833)
Louis II, sometimes called the Younger, was the king of Italy and emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled al…
Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 47
Louis II, sometimes called the Younger, was the king of Italy and emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled al…
Emperor Louis II of Italy and Empress Engelberga are captured by Prince Adelchis of Benevento.